DEHERADUN: In one of the worst accidents this summer in Uttarakhand, 14 people died and 12 others were injured - few of them critically -- when a tempo traveller in which they were travelling from Delhi-NCR fell into a 200-m gorge near the Alaknanda river in Raitoli area of Rudraprayag district on Saturday.
The condition of five, all from NCR, was critical at the time of filing o this report and they had been shifted to AIIMS-Rishikesh. Two other unidentified persons who were airlifted to AIIMS died on the way to the hospital.
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Officials said 10 persons died on the spot while two others, out of the nine who were admitted to Rudraprayag district hospital, succumbed to their injuries. The 20-seater tempo traveller registered in Haryana had left Delhi around 11pm on Friday. The tourists were on their way to the Chopta-Tungnath- Chandrashikla circuit, a popular one for trekking activities.
When the vehicle was stopped by authorities for routine check of Char Dham pilgrims, the driver confirmed the vehicle was not being used for the annual pilgrimage and was brought to Uttarakhand for "tourism purposes".